Luxury Bath homes being re-clad after 'wrong' stones used

A new luxury housing development in the city centre is being re-clad in Bath stone to bring it in line with planning consent.

The Gibbs Mews scheme just off Walcot Street was refused retrospective planning permission by Bath and North East Somerset Council's development control committee last April after politicians heard the Thameside Property Company had used artificial stone instead of natural Bath stone.

There was an appeal, which was subsequently thrown out, so now work has begun to rectify the problem without the need to knock down the buildings.

Andrew Shepley, from the applicant's planning agent GL Hearn, said they had been in discussion with the local authority to come up with the best solution.

He said: "The developer has now reached agreement with the council on the extent and nature of re-cladding required, using natural Bath stone.

"This has been formalised through a formal discharge of condition application. Works are now progressing."

The work has been welcomed by the Bath Preservation Trust, which praised B&NES for challenging the developer for not using the correct materials in the first place.

A statement said: "The owner is now required to remove this cladding (reconstituted stone) and to replace it with natural Bath stone.

"The method statement submitted to the council specifies that the existing blocks are to be removed by hand, commencing at roof level and proceeding "in an orderly manner" down to ground floor level.

"A sample panel of Bath stone has been constructed on the site.

"And the council is ensuring that the quality of the material and workmanship now meets the requirements of the condition."

The development consists of three, four or five-bedroom houses and one maisonette, marketed by Savills at £725,000.

Shame that the council is not so quick to enforce planning conditions at less prestigious addresses and allows awful developments such as those in Combe Down, in Stonehouse Close and Lane, Southstoke Road and the most recent abomination at Ralph Allen Yard, with the ridiculous canopy and nasty black window frames, when everyone else's are white.OOPs indeed!